Research & Summaries Question

Idea “A Jungian interpretation / reading of the book of the dead, its internal criteria on death, birth, and rebirth, mysticism, tantra, as well as the unconscious mind and its phenomena. Looking at the influence of the western mystic and psychological mind on eastern practices and tradtion.”

Thesis- “This paper will perform a close reading of the Bardo Thdol, analyzing its rhetorical strategy as a ritual manual of the terma (treasure literature) genreBy applying a Jungian theoretical lens, I will argue that while Jungs psychological archetypes offer a compelling ‘allegorical’ reading of the bardo states, this Western ‘psychologization’ often obscures the text’s original rhetorical intent to guide the deceased ‘student’ through a literal ritual universe

Research Paper | Buddhist Literature in Tibet, Spring 2026

Proposal and Outline due on March 4th

Annotated Bibliography due on March 25th

Final Paper and Presentation, Due on April 22nd

You have two options for papers this semester: (1) you can write a single research paper on a work

of Buddhist literature in Tibet of your choice or (2) you can write two shorter papers: one a work of

advice and one a narrative related to devotion and the teacher-student relationship.

The research paper should be 810 pages for undergrads, 10-15 for grad students. If you choose to

write two shorter papers, each paper should be 4-5 pages for undergrads, 5-7 pages for grad

students. In either case, you should do a close reading of one or more primary sources with a

discussion of their stylistic features and a rhetorical analysis.

1. PROPOSAL | Draft a proposal of 250-300 words for your research paper or your two shorter

papers for the semester. Your proposal should include:

o brief introduction to one or more primary sources (in translation or original language)

that will be the focus of your close reading

o reference to one or more specific Tibetan genres of Buddhist literature

o bibliography of secondary sources related to the genre and historical contexts, covering

a total of 5-6 sources (undergrad) and 7-10 sources (grad)

o set of research questions you will address in the paper

o outline showing how you will structure your paper(s) and argument

2. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY | Focus the annotated bibliography around the primary

source(s) for your research paper or two papers. Be sure to choose secondary sources

related to the specific Tibetan genre(s) of Buddhist literature of your primary source(s) and

the historical context of its composition as well as any available biographic information about

the author. Total of 5-6 sources (undergrad) and 8-10 sources (grad) can include scholarly

articles and book chapters. You are welcome to use the Treasury of Lives as a biographical

source (treasuryoflives.org); other websites must be approved by the Professor. The

annotated bibliography should include a full paragraph (150-200 words) about each source

3. RESEARCH PAPER OR TWO SHORTER PAPERS | A literary analysis of one or more significant

Buddhist works of Tibetan literature (in translation or in the original Tibetan if you prefer),

selected by students in consultation with the Professor. Please provide the historical context

for the work and use a theoretical lens from the readings, class discussion, or your annotated

bibliography. Discuss the literary stylistic features and rhetorical thrust of your primary

source(s) in relation to its genre and the salient themes, such as devotion.

Consider the following questions:

o What are the models for this source: Indic or Tibetan, literary or oral, elite or popular?

o To what extent does it conform to or depart from existing genre conventions?

o What do we know about this texts production and subsequent transmission?

o What model of the teacher-student relationship is evident in its style and content?

SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR RESEARCH PAPER

Introduction (1-2 pages)

What has previous scholarship contributed to the understanding of this topicin terms of

historical and social context, theoretical perspectives, and methodological approaches?

How does your close reading of this primary source build on previous scholarship? What is

the new perspective/insight into interpreting this topic/source that you hope to contribute?

Literature Review (3-4 pages)

Summarize the argument of the book or chapters/articles you read. Be sure to discuss the

relevant data/evidence provided by the author for his or her argument in each book or

chapter/article and assess the argument in relation to this evidence.

Is there anything you feel that the author(s) overlooked, or possibly even misconstrued, in

their argument and interpretation of data. What might be next steps in scholarship to rectify

this lacuna and how will your reading of the primary source take a step in that direction?

Close Reading (4-6 pages)

Introduce your primary source: author and time period (if known), context of its composition

(see the colophon), Buddhist lineage context, genre of Tibetan literature, etc.

Who is the audience for this primary source? Is there anything that suggests its usage? What

is the genre of this primary source and how might that condition audience expectations?

What themes are taken up in the work as a whole? Describe the trajectory of the text: its plot

for narrative, its topics and progression if instructional, its stages for ritual texts.

What is the world created by the text, whether the “ritual universe” of a sdhana or the

mythic landscape of a narrative? How is the reader positioned in that world?

Make an original argument on how to “make sense” of or interpret this source by analyzing

the rhetoric of the text, its language and imagery, any plot devices. You may want to discuss

noticeable trends in its language/imagery as well as analyze several key passages in depth.

Pay particular attention to one or more of the theme that we have discussed in class:

devotion, the teacher-student relationship, the siddha and the consort, abuse of power.

Feel free to use any theoretical perspectives and/or methods suggested in our course

readings and class discussions as well as from the secondary sources that you consulted.

How would you interpret the textthrough a literal reading or an allegorical one? Which do

you think is the best approach to this specific primary source?

Synthesize the various points you have made and what you learned into a tentative

interpretation or reading of the primary source. What does this primary source and your

reading of it suggest about how to make sense of Buddhist literature in Tibet?

Conclusion (1-2 pages)

Review what you have argued in the paper. Check back to see if this reflects what you set out

to do in the introduction. You may want to revise the introduction in light of the journey you

have taken and maturation in understanding you have gained from writing the paper.

Reflect back on the secondary sources and how you have built on previous scholarship in

your reading of this primary course. What might be next steps for further research

WRITE MY PAPER